Aarhus Gymnastikforening (AGF or AGF Aarhus) is one of the oldest sport clubs in Denmark. The club was founded in 1880, mainly with gymnastics but also fencing as the main sports. However AGF is best known for its football team, which was introduced in 1902.

AGF played its first football match against Aarhus Idrætsklub Olympia in November 1902, a 5–2 loss. Six years later, the club won the Jutland Football Championship by winning 3–2 over Ringkøbing in the final. AGF won the Jutland Football Championship seven times and was in three finals of the Danish Football Championship before AGF became a member of the newly founded Denmark Tournament in 1927.

In 1911, AGF got its own clubhouse then the club brought the pitches at Dalgas Avenue. In 1920, AGF began to play its home matches at the newly build Aarhus Stadion, where the club has played ever since. In 1941, the club moved from the clubhouse at Dalgas Avenue to Fredensvang in the suburb Viby.[1]
For three seasons in a row from 1949–51 AGF finished in third place in the top division. After spending the 1952–53 season in the 2. division, AGF returned strongly to the 1. division and in the next 12 seasons won four Danish Football Championships and five Danish Cups.[2] AGF also participated in the first edition of the European Cup, where it lost to French club Stade de Reims. In 1961, AGF reached the quarter-final in the same tournament where it lost to eventual tournament winners Benfica.[3] AGF was relegated to the 2. division in 1968 and in 1973 but returned to the 1. division in 1976. This was the start of 30 years in the top division.

In 1998, AGF finished third in the Danish Superliga but financial problems resulted in some poor results the following years. In 2000, Peter Rudbæk was fired after seven years as manager. From 2000 onwards, the club experienced some of its worst ever results, which led to relegations in the 2005–06, 2009–10 and 2013–14 season. Each time, however, the club secured a quick return to the top-flight.

In the summer of 2014, AGF appointed Jacob Nielsen as its new director. Nielsen had been successful as director of Randers where he had managed to secure fine economic results. AGF also hired a new sporting director and Morten Wieghorst as manager. On 6 December 2015, however, Nielsen announced that Wieghorst was fired and that former Danish champion Glen Riddersholm was hired as his replacement.

With Glen Riddersholm as manager AGF finished the 2015–16 season in tenth place having won 3 games, drawn 7, and lost 5 in the remainder of the season. AGF qualified for 2016 cup final losing 2–1 to FC Copenhagen. In the 2016–17 season AGF finished 11th after having played relegation play-off matches in the new league structure introduced that season.

On 30 September 2017 Riddersholm was fired due to inconsistent results. At that point AGF was 7th in the league having started the 2017–18 season with 4 wins, 5 defeats, and 2 draws. Riddersholm's last match was a 5–1 win against FC Helsingør. New manager was David Nielsen who started with 4 consecutive league defeats but finished the season in 7th place after losing a European play-off final against FC Copenhagen 4–1.